


The Brightest Stars Burn Hot

by not_for_your_perception



Category: Elton John (Musician), Rocketman (2019)
Genre: Alcoholism, Cheating, Drug Abuse, Fighting, M/M, Oral Sex, Unhealthy Relationships, Verbal Abuse, mutually abusive
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-16
Updated: 2021-01-16
Packaged: 2021-03-14 11:55:53
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,759
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28795023
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/not_for_your_perception/pseuds/not_for_your_perception
Summary: Rewrote John’s cheating scene in Rocketman just in case watching it wasn’t enough for anyone! The fic was written Feb 2020.
Relationships: Elton John/John Reid, John Reid/Secretary
Kudos: 3





	The Brightest Stars Burn Hot

**Author's Note:**

> Trigger warnings: Drug Abuse, mutual verbal abuse, cheating, explicit language, etc.

Harsh daylight streamed through the curtains of his bedroom rousing Elton from his sleep. It was the kind of sleep where one never stirs but wakes feeling more exhausted than they had gone to bed. The star reaches for a nearby pillow burrowing his face into it as he tried to coax himself back to bed for a few, minutes before deciding that he was up for good. Even though he’s awake Elton doesn’t move to get out of bed at first, there’s so much beyond the bedroom he doesn’t want to face and the oppressive sun seemed to urge his aching body deeper into the mattress. For the first hour or so he’s awake Elton just lays in bed trying to convince himself that he’ll feel better once he’s started his day but it’s only the eventual craving for his substances that drives him out of bed. Elton forces himself to sit up the dull ache in his head worsening, he reached for his sunglasses to fight the pain lamenting a bit as he knew it would only worsen as the day went on.

Elton stood leaning against the bedside table to steel himself as a wave of nausea overtook him, there were too many factors at play to know what caused the sick feeling in his stomach. The star remained pressed against his bedside table until it had passed moving over to slip on a silk robe so he was at least decent walking through his house. The day of the week was a mystery to him and in his haze, he wasn’t completely sure where he was until he had sat down in his vanity and saw the sea from the balcony he realized he was back in his Los Angles house. Memories from the night before and almost every night since his latest tour began were long forgotten, each day seemed to blur together. More than anything else Elton just wanted to have a break from the public eye have some time with his lover, who he realized he truly missed. Months of touring had put a strain on their relationship, the close entanglement of their business and their personal lives had left them in a constant cycle of unresolved arguments and hosting parties so they wouldn’t have to be alone together. As prideful as he was he knew John deserved an apology.

Tired eyes lifted to the mirror, the person in front of him seemed like a complete stranger. Self-loathing tugged at his core as he stared at the image in the mirror, it wasn’t long until Elton craved distraction: something to take his mind off the sour mood he was in.

He opened the bottom drawer of his vanity pulling out his stash and slipping on a ring that curved into a small scoop and popping open a tin scraping some of the fine white powder into the ring and inhaling leaning back to take a few breaths as the substance took effect. The star stood abruptly still leaning against the vanity resolving to go find John. His trek began making his way down the flight of stairs onto the main floor of the house and making his way towards the other man’s office. At first glance, it was a bit disheartening not to find him there however he looked at the window to see the other man’s profile out near the fireplace. His chest tightened too focused on what he would say to John as an apology to notice anything out of the ordinary.

The California sun was so bright Elton could hardly keep his eyes open but the idea of being near the other was incentive enough to keep him stumbling towards his other, a strange combination of anxiety and grogginess taking over him. “Darling-” Elton started nearly tripping on a step as he neared John, “I’m thinking maybe we should quit the booze for a couple of days, take some quality time together-” His gaze raised just enough to see a young man pulling away from John making him stop in his tracks, his heart plummeting into his stomach as he realized what was going on.

“Good afternoon,” John greeted gruffly and the man on his knees in front of Elton’s lover stood moving away from him with a curt, professional goodbye and starting to walk away.

A white-hot rage bubbled in Elton’s core, his jaw setting as the fight in him instantly flared up. The star stalked after the man for a pace and a half noting the papers in his hand and realizing he was under John’s employ. He stopped feeling as if someone had stolen the air out of his lungs as he watched the man walk away. His gaze was fixed on the ground for a moment trying to process what was happening. It felt like his heart was shattering, each breath coming a bit rougher than the last. His hand reached up to brush against his sternum as if that alone could stop the pain of the betrayal he had just witnessed. As soon as the fight had left Elton it was back in him. The singer turned towards John standing in front of his lover with his jaw set.

“What are you doing John?”

John answered far too smoothly for a man who was still trying to tuck himself away after caught being unfaithful “Just a bit of rock ‘n roll,” He defended glancing up at Elton, the challenge in Reid’s eye only fueling the fire that was rising in his core.

“Rock ‘n roll is not shagging your secretary in front of the pool boys!” Elton replied working hard to keep his tone icy and even though it crescendoed into a shout on the last couple words. John stood as he redid the top button of his trousers not bothering to look his other in the eye or defend his actions.

“Rock ‘n roll is getting you out of bed before noon,” He started glancing up at the other man with a smug look as Elton had to fight to keep from lunging at John as he fixed his zipper, then belt as he continued to speak. “Two hundred and fifty-six gigs in twenty-six different countries,” Elton opened his mouth to speak but John didn’t give him a chance wanting to deflect the blame of his actions back onto his lover pointing an accusatory finger at Elton as his words got more personal. “Rock ‘n roll is actually a hundred and twelve employment contracts, insurance, copyright, dividends, renegotiating your previous, insane, contracts and wiping your arse. You know what you do Elton?” The manager’s tone was no longer detached his gaze fixed on Elton the same kind of fiery anger that plagued the star creeping into his eye. Elton huffed finding it hard to keep himself still from the substance in his bloodstream squaring his shoulders off to seem more intimating as John spoke “Is play the piano but for me, rock ‘n roll is an eighty-seven million dollar a year industry,” His emphasis went into the amount of money Elton was making him with the knowledge that the business aspect of their relationship made the star insecure.

“So what?” Elton snipped deciding he had enough, his words clipped and quick so John couldn’t interrupt him “Maybe all I do is play the piano but do you know what else I do? Hm?” The question was rhetorical, the star stepping into his manager’s space to make himself more imposing, the aggression a deflection from the hurt that had settled in his chest “I pay, John. For everything,” Since John had wanted to talk about money Elton decided to acquiesce using it as his tool to hurt the other man back “Including this house. Which I’d like you to leave. Now. You may still be my manager but you and me are finished!” He said hoping the other man would lament or grovel or do something to try and salvage what they had spent years building together. Instead, he was hit with the other man’s icy disposition once again.

“You’re so predictable,” The hint of amusement in John’s voice as he pulled on his coat was only there because he hadn’t realized that Elton meant what he had said. Elton had become so dependent on his lover to take care of everything while he indulged himself in every kind of pleasure imaginable that no one could fathom anything getting done without John. The danger laid there because John knew exactly how valuable he was to Elton’s lifestyle.

“No, not predictable,” The star began balling his fists as his words vitriolic as his heart broke. At that moment he felt like nothing, the love of his life wasn’t going to even fight to keep him after all they had been through together, “I want to be by myself. Not with some arsehole doesn’t give a shit about me! And takes a piss day after day! Get out!” He shouted about ready to take a swing at the other man when he saw his mother making her way into the backyard.

Confusion washed over his face clear as day as he was pulled rather abruptly out of the heated moment with John to the group of people on his property. Elton’s gazed turned to John realizing for the first time how fast his heart was beating from the adrenaline of his row with John.

“What are they doing here?” He hissed hating the victorious look that John was sporting as he fixed the cuffs of his jacket.

“You told me to hire a jet and fly them over for the gig,”

Elton gritted his teeth figuring some kind of miscommunication had been made when he told John to fly them over “No, next week, John!” Elton was seething unable to imagine how his world had gotten so messy so quickly.

His manager scoffed “It is next week. I’m gonna go fix ‘em a drink,” John stated walking past Elton feeling confident that he had won their spat leaning in to get one last dig in “Darling, why don’t you go clean yourself up? Because you fucking stink,” 

Elton’s self-righteousness faltered as he realized he didn’t even know what day of the week it was, left only with shame and the stinging hurt of John’s betrayal. He tied his robe his cheeks feeling too warm but he pushed past it making a seamless transition into his entertainer’s persona as he made his way over to his guests.


End file.
